BCAB Coaching Podcast

S7 Ep4 All Things Coaching with Lowri Davies

In this episode of the Coaching Podcast, your host Georgina Maxwell discusses All Things Coaching with Lowri Davies. 

Lowri has been working at the cutting edge of white water coaching and guiding around the world for almost 20 years. Her North Wales-based company, FlowFree, runs the full spectrum of white water and freestyle courses as well as some exciting overseas trips to places such as the Zambezi and Norway. Lowri's passion for helping each paddler to unlock the most joy from their paddling experiences has led to a strong reputation for her work on mindset and confidence, as well as in the fields of advanced white water and freestyle. She combines all of these aspects on FlowFree's renowned "Grade 3 shenanigans" and "Play the River" courses. She's also the lead organiser for DeeFest - a festival that focuses on inclusivity, community, silliness and above all good fun! 

In this episode, Lowri and Georgina discuss the evolution of coaching, emphasising the need to move beyond rigid rules towards a more progressive culture that encourages confidence in learners. Lowri advocates for teaching concepts and variables rather than fixed strategies, allowing paddlers to explore and adapt to dynamic water conditions. She highlights a key element of performance and confidence is connectivity and proper boat outfitting, stressing the importance of maximizing body-to-kayak contact to ensure comfort, control, and effective power transfer. Lowri’s current focus is on maintaining a playful mindset in kayaking and enjoying the learning curve of her new venture into surf kayaking.

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S7 Ep3 All Things Wilderness Expeditions with Richard Harpham

Richard and Georgina discuss the importance of personal experience in coaching and leading expeditions, as well as risk management in remote locations and the necessity of contingency and repair kits due to the increased probability of equipment failure over time. Richard also distinguishes between the roles of a leader and a guide, and introduces the 1, 2, 3 Mentoring model to foster growth and shared knowledge. 

Richard Harpham is an Adventurer, Author, Speaker and Social Entrepreneur.  His lifetime of adventures include over 15,000 miles of expeditions in wilderness locations by ski, bike, kayak, canoe and SUP.  

His adventures include canoeing the Yukon, sea kayaking 1,000 miles from Vancouver to Alaska, London to Marrakech by bike and kayak, as well as sea kayaking the channel 3 times. The New York Spare Seat Kayak Expedition won the international travel marketing award valued at 1 million dollar PR campaign and was shared with over 200 million people.  Richard has paddled over 100 UK destinations to research and compile a new book, Great British Paddling Adventures. His latest adventure has been to build an off-grid farm house and farm to restore orchards.

Richard has featured on regional TV and BBC1 on many occasions covering his adventure exploits and speaks regularly to schools and national shows about building adventure and the great outdoors into their lives.

Richard has explored much of the UK hiking, biking and paddling, seeking out hidden gems and forgotten trails in his spare time, whether wild camping or embracing van life, he is often found well off the beaten track with his four dogs in tow.

Rich and his wife Ash run Canoe Trail, A Paddle UK Delivery Partner, watersports, expeditions and adventure business with 20 instructors and coaches. Canoe Trail has several staff who are providers of Paddle UK qualifications including Paddle Sports Instructor, PSRC, PSL, Touring Leader, SUP Instructor and the Guide Modules. Canoe Trail run 14 expeditions a year plus the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme . See more here www.canoetrail.co.uk 

www.richadventure.com

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

 

S7 Ep2 Master your Kayak and the Environment with Doug Cooper!

Doug Cooper has worked as an instructor, coaching and guiding for over 35 years, with a passion for sharing knowledge in a way that empowers others to develop their skills, experience and confidence to achieve their outdoor goals. For the last 25 years, a focus of Doug’s coaching has been paddlesport coach/leadership development where he provides training/assessment courses to support future instructors. His specialism is sea kayaking and in this he has published Sea Kayak Handling and Rough Water Sea Kayak Handling, both books designed to support paddlers to develop their skills; this to hopefully take them on trips they aspire to achieve. Doug’s passion is sharing knowledge and doing this by taking people to good places, to do good things when sea kayaking!

https://scottishseakayaking.co.uk/

Paddling smart – the technical and tactical consideration for working with your kayak and the environment to make life easier.

This podcast conversation will use turning in the wind as the basis to explore the concept of how if we ‘listen to our kayak’ and ‘feel what our kayak’ wants to do and how it is interacting with the environment, it will help us become more efficient in our paddling. This, done by considering how things like speed, trim and timing can be used as tactics to make turning in the wind easier by helping the kayak do what it naturally wants to do in the wind; then considering which technical strokes we can then add to aid this further. Having explored this as a concept, we finish the conversation by considering how this can then be taken into other environments, perhaps rock hopping, tide or surf; and maybe adding further tactical considerations of angle, positioning and edge while always listening and feeling what the kayak wants to do and then adding technical strokes to help it. It’s all about understanding what works and then ‘paddling smart’ to hopefully make life easier!

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S7 Ep1 All things River Play with Chris Evans

Georgina Maxwell hosts the first episode of series 7 of the Coaching Podcast, chatting all things River Play with Chris Evans.

Chris grew up paddling on the Thames where slalom and freestyle kayaking were all the rage, at the age of sixteen he was taken to a ‘real’ river and the rest is history. Twenty six years later and he’s not only keeping the slalom and freestyle in his river paddling but he’s now coaching the movements as part of his work as a full time paddlesport coach. Chris is also part of the British Canoeing Awarding Body EQA team.

Georgina and Chris discuss –

• all the elements behind playing the river, from finding the joy of a soul surf to impressing your mates with the often-illusive endless tailies.
• how to get started and what would make a suitable river play kayak
• how to get one step ahead of a boats movement when being pushed around in moving water

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S6 Ep14 Chris Brain welcomes new podcast host Georgina Maxwell

Chris is officially handing the podcast to Georgina Maxwell for the next 12 months!

Georgina will be taking the microphone and interviewing a whole host of different guests focusing on the technical and tactical elements of coaching different paddlesport disciplines.

Georgina lives in the north of Scotland and is predominantly a white water paddler but comes with a whole range of paddlesport experience. Georgina is also a winter mountaineering climbing instructor and has a diverse range of knowledge to bring to the podcast.  Having worked at Glenmore Lodge, Plas-y-Brenin, with the British military amongst a whole host of other paddlers, clubs and groups, Georgina is a well known and well respected paddler and coach.

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

A big thank you to Chris for the last 12 months. All of his previous episodes can be downloaded here if you need to catch up:

https://britishcanoeingcoaching.podbean.com/

 

S6 Ep.13 A Lifetime's Experience with Ray Goodwin - Paddlesports, Clients and Learning - Part 2

Ray Goodwin is back for part two of his conversation with Chris, talking about his extensive experience of coaching paddlers.

Ray Goodwin is a world-renowned canoeist, coach, and author. He has been paddling for over 50 years. Ray has coached paddlers of all ages and abilities and is known for his patient and encouraging approach and his ability to help paddlers overcome their fears and reach their full potential.  Ray is a true pioneer in the world of canoeing, he has helped to shape the sport and has inspired countless paddlers around the world. He is a true legend and his legacy will continue to inspire paddlers for generations to come.

The topics discussed by Chris and Ray include:

• Breaking in and out of an eddy 
• Modifying turns using the paddle
• Canoe Sailing
• Using video as a tool within coaching
• Continuing to stay motivated as a paddler and current as a coach

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S6 Ep.12 A Lifetime's Experience with Ray Goodwin - Paddlesports, Clients and Learning - Part 1

Ray Goodwin is the guest for this episode talking to Chris about his lifetime coaching paddlesport.

Ray Goodwin is a world-renowned canoeist, coach, and author. He has been paddling for over 50 years. Ray has coached paddlers of all ages and abilities and is known for his patient and encouraging approach and his ability to help paddlers overcome their fears and reach their full potential.  Ray is a true pioneer in the world of canoeing, he has helped to shape the sport and has inspired countless paddlers around the world. He is a true legend and his legacy will continue to inspire paddlers for generations to come.

The topics discussed by Chris and Ray include:

• Ray’s journey into paddlesports. 
• Building relationships, understanding clients' needs, and adapting to suit their individual experiences and skill levels.
• Listening to clients, acknowledging their fears, and creating a positive and encouraging learning environment.
• Continuous learning, challenging established ideas and trying new approaches.
• The inner game, a concept focusing on the mental aspects of skill acquisition.

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S6 Ep.11 Coaching Rafting with Gareth Wilson - A Teamwork Adventure

Gareth Wilson is the guest for this episode talking to Chris Brain about Raft Coaching.

Gareth Wilson is a Level 4 coach, has an MSc is Coaching from Loughborough University and the interim head of slalom operations. Whilst a majority of Gareth's coaching over the last 16 years has been in the world of canoe slalom, he has also coached white water rafting on the international stage. He's explored his practice across a number of paddlesports and is a qualified basketball and a trained Co-Active coach. He loves discussing coaching over a cup of tea or whilst out for a long run and relishes the opportunity to learn from other people, practices and professions. 

The topics discussed by Chris and Gareth:

• Teamwork in rafting 
• Coaching techniques 
• On- and off-water coaching
• Giving feedback to a team  
• Community in rafting

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S6 Ep.10 Elevate your Stand Up Paddleboard Coaching Skills with Caz Dawson

Caz Dawson is the guest for this episode of the coaching podcast, talking to Chris Brain about coaching stand up paddleboarding.

Caz delivers a broad range of SUP coaching and guided adventures through her business SUP Lass Paddle Adventures, based in Northeast Wales. From beginner sessions through to multi day trips, she caters for all levels and paddle abilities. She specialises in SUP, being both a White Water Coach and Coastal Leader. She is currently an aspirant tutor, working towards a number of SUP award providerships. 

Caz is a Paddle UK Delivery Partner and earlier this year won the Commitment to the Environment award for her sustainable business practices. 

For further information visit: www.suplass.com or give SLPA a follow on Facebook or Instagram. 

The topics discussed by Chris and Caz include:

• Beginner SUP Coaching Techniques 
• Advanced SUP Coaching and Skill Development 
• SUP Turning Techniques  
• Whitewater SUP Skills  
• Coastal SUP Skills 

To download the transcript for this episode click here.

S6 Ep.9 Coaching White Water Kayaking - Refining your Technique with Ian Adey

Ian Adey is the guest for this episode of the coaching podcast, talking to Chris Brain about coaching white water kayaking.

Ian is a Level 5 Kayak Coach and Advanced Canoe Coach who runs Kinetic Paddlesports based in the Lake District. He got hooked on watersports in his early teens and is still obsessed.

Ian is passionate about passing on the most up to date technical knowledge and modern techniques.  His focus is on explaining paddling with simple terms, free of jargon. He is a firm believer that what we coach beginner and intermediate paddlers should still work in advanced conditions, and continue to work wherever people take their paddling.

The topics discussed by Chris and Ian include:

• Common misconceptions for white water paddling
• Edging vs leaning
• Vertical paddle strokes
• Self-analysis and use of video when coaching
• Evolution of white water techniques
• Remembering to play on the river

To download the transcript for this episode click here.